Americans United - Henry McMasterhttps://www.au.org/tags/henry-mcmaster
enThe Republicans And Religion: Should The GOP Stop Being God's Own Party?https://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/the-republicans-and-religion-should-the-gop-stop-being-gods-own-party
<a href="/about/people/bathija">Sandhya Bathija</a><div class="field field-name-field-blog-type field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blogs/wall-of-separation">Wall of Separation</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="prose"><p>Steve Schmidt, Sen. John McCain's top adviser from the presidential campaign, has some advice for Republicans seeking office in the future. He <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/17/mccain-strategist-warns-gop-risks-religious-party/">said</a> Friday that the GOP needs to reassess its relationship with religion.</p>
<p>Schmidt told the Log Cabin Republicans, a grassroots group for gay and lesbian Republicans, that party positions on issues such as same-sex marriage cannot be based solely on religious belief.</p>
<p>"If you put public policy issues to a religious test, you risk becoming a religious party," he said. "And in a free country a political party cannot be viable in the long-term if it is seen as a sectarian party."</p>
<p>Schmidt's message is very wise, and it seems to be badly needed in states like South Carolina.</p>
<p>Three Republicans -- Attorney General Henry McMaster, U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett and Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer -- spoke at many GOP county conventions across South Carolina last weekend, according to the <em><a href="http://www.heraldonline.com/120/story/1277527.html">Rock Hill Herald</a></em>. All three reportedly plan to run for governor, although McMaster and Bauer have yet to officially declare their candidacies.</p>
<p>While speaking to potential supporters on Saturday, McMaster and Bauer emphasized their support for Christianity, especially their "fight" to preserve a state-endorsed "Christian" license plate.</p>
<p>"We've got a bunch of crazy people that sit on a bench and rule that we shouldn't be able to be a religious people in this country," Bauer said. "We've got to stand up as Christians and say this Republican Party is still composed of Christians."</p>
<p>McMaster also made it clear that he would stand up for Christians.</p>
<p>"The way you pray at home is the same way you ought to be able to pray in public," McMaster said. "You ought to be able to say the name of Jesus if you want to."</p>
<p>Last year, the South Carolina legislature unanimously approved a license tag with the words "I Believe" and a cross superimposed on a stained class window. Legislators made it clear that they would not support similar recognition for any other faith, nor would non-believers be given the option of an "I Don't Believe" plate.</p>
<p>Americans United brought a <a href="http://www.au.org/site/DocServer/I_Believe_License_Plate_Complaint_REVISED_6-19-07_SC.pdf?docID=2781">lawsuit</a> on behalf of two Christian clergy, a Unitarian minister, a Jewish rabbi and two organizations representing minority religious faiths in South Carolina. In December, we won a victory when U.S. District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie <a href="http://www.au.org/site/DocServer/Judge%20Currie%20Opinion.pdf?docID=3581">temporarily blocked</a> the issuance of the "Christian" plate.</p>
<p>Since then, McMaster and Bauer have claimed those who are against the plate are anti-Christian and have painted this legal battle as a war against religion.</p>
<p>They're wrong.</p>
<p>As we have stated many times before, our lawsuit is simply about fairness and adherence to the constitutional separation of church and state. All religions should be equal in America, and the government must not favor one over others or religion over non-religion.</p>
<p>Maybe Bauer and McMaster need to <a href="http://ow.ly/37U8">read Steve Schmidt's recent speech</a>.</p>
<p>"I believe Republicans should re-examine the extent that we are being defined by positions on issues that I don't believe are among our core values," Schmidt told the crowd in Washington, D.C.</p>
<p>Just a guess, but it seems likely that Schmidt would include Bauer and McMaster's position on the "I Believe" license plate as one of those that should be re-examined.</p>
</div></div><div class="tags clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/i-believe-license-plate">&quot;I Believe&quot; license plate</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/andre-bauer">Andre Bauer</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/henry-mcmaster">Henry McMaster</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/license-plate">license plate</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/south-carolina">South Carolina</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/steve-schmidt">Steve Schmidt</a></span></div></div>Mon, 20 Apr 2009 15:33:09 +0000Sandhya Bathija2346 at https://www.au.orghttps://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/the-republicans-and-religion-should-the-gop-stop-being-gods-own-party#commentsThe Passion Of The Plate: S.C. Officials Pontificate At 'I Believe' Tag Rallyhttps://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/the-passion-of-the-plate-sc-officials-pontificate-at-i-believe-tag-rally
<a href="/about/people/bathija">Sandhya Bathija</a><div class="field field-name-field-blog-type field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blogs/wall-of-separation">Wall of Separation</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="prose"><p>The debate over the South Carolina "I Believe" license plate rages on.</p>
<p>At least for South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster and Lt. Governor Andre Bauer, who continue to mislead South Carolinians on what Americans United's lawsuit challenging the production of these plates is really about.</p>
<p>According to the <a href="//www.greenvilleonline.com/article/20090317/NEWS01/90317043/1069/YOURUPSTATE01"><em>Greenville News</em></a>, more than 500 people showed up last night at Temple Baptist Church in Simpsonville, S.C., to support the license tags and see "celebrities" McMaster and Bauer, who happily signed autographs after feeding the audience their usual shameless propaganda.</p>
<p>McMaster and Bauer have been advocating for the plate since last year, when the South Carolina General Assembly unanimously voted to create this tag, which features a yellow Christian cross superimposed on a stained-glass church window with the words "I Believe."</p>
<p>Bauer agreed to put up his own funds to begin the production of the plates and he, along with other state legislators, admitted publicly that they would not vote for a similar honorific for other religions.</p>
<p>Americans United <a href="http://www.au.org/site/DocServer/I_Believe_License_Plate_Complaint_REVISED_6-19-07_SC.pdf?docID=2781">brought a lawsuit</a> on behalf of two Christian clergy, a Unitarian minister, a Jewish rabbi and two organizations representing minority religious faiths in South Carolina. In December, we won a victory when U.S. District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie <a href="http://www.au.org/site/DocServer/Judge%20Currie%20Opinion.pdf?docID=3581">temporarily blocked</a> the issuance of the "Christian" plate.</p>
<p>At the rally yesterday, those in attendance watched a montage of Mel Gibson's movie, "The Passion of the Christ," set to music, and listened as McMaster railed against Judge Currie's decision.</p>
<p>The Constitution guarantees freedom "of religion, not freedom from religion," he said. "Some of our courts don't understand" the difference.</p>
<p>Not surprisingly, McMaster forgot to mention the rest of the Constitution, which promises that the government will not favor one religious belief over others and also guarantees equality for all.</p>
<p>Bauer and McMaster, both of whom are reportedly considering runs for governor, claim our lawsuit is war on religion and attack our plaintiffs as being anti-Christian.</p>
<p>"Nothing could be farther from the truth," <a href="http://www.au.org/site/DocServer/South_Carolina_rally_3.17.09.pdf%20?docID=3921 ">said </a>the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director, in a press statement. "We brought this lawsuit because the state legislature created a special license plate for the Christian faith in violation of the Constitution. All religions should be equal in America, and the government must not favor one over others."</p>
<p>At a similar rally held in Greer, S.C. two months ago, the Rev. Arnold Hiette, who hosted the event in his People's Baptist Church, made our plaintiffs the <a href="http://blog.au.org/2009/01/07/plate-hate-south-carolina-rally-consigns-separationist-clergy-to-hell/">targets</a> of his hateful sermon and said they will "burn in hell" for opposing these plates.</p>
<p>It's unfortunate that many in South Carolina refuse to see the truth behind this lawsuit. More than 800 people have signed a petition in support of the Christian tag, and the host of yesterday's rally, the Rev. Brad Whitt, told the <a href="//www.greenvilleonline.com/article/20090317/NEWS01/90317043/1069/YOURUPSTATE01"><em>Greenville News</em></a> that he hopes public support for the plate will influence the trial judge's decision.</p>
<p>In the meantime, Americans United's attorneys will continue to prepare for trial to finally end this plate debate. We're confident that in a court of law, the Constitution will carry more weight than this petition drive.</p>
</div></div><div class="tags clearfix"><div class="field-label">Issues:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><span class="field-item"><a href="/issues/churches-and-politics">Churches and Politics</a></span></div></div><div class="tags clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/i-believe-license-plate">&quot;I Believe&quot; license plate</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/andre-bauer">Andre Bauer</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/henry-mcmaster">Henry McMaster</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/south-carolina">South Carolina</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/south-carolina-license-plates">South Carolina license plates</a></span></div></div>Wed, 18 Mar 2009 16:38:52 +0000Sandhya Bathija2341 at https://www.au.orghttps://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/the-passion-of-the-plate-sc-officials-pontificate-at-i-believe-tag-rally#commentsPlate Hate: South Carolina Rally Consigns Separationist Clergy To Hellhttps://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/plate-hate-south-carolina-rally-consigns-separationist-clergy-to-hell
<a href="/about/people/bathija">Sandhya Bathija</a><div class="field field-name-field-blog-type field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blogs/wall-of-separation">Wall of Separation</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="prose"><p>Things got ugly last night in Greer, S.C.</p>
<p>More than 400 people gathered at People's Baptist Church to protest a federal district court's decision to stop the production of a "Christian" license plate that would have featured a cross superimposed on a stained glass window with the words "I Believe." The DMV will decide by the end of the week whether they will appeal the district court's decision.</p>
<p>Americans United filed a lawsuit challenging the plates on behalf of four South Carolina clergy -- the Rev. Dr. Thomas A. Summers, Rabbi Sanford T. Marcus, the Rev. Dr. Robert M. Knight and the Rev. Dr. Neal Jones -- as well as the Hindu American Foundation and the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee.</p>
<p>Attendees at the rally signed petitions and listened to speeches from a wide array of "I Believe" supporters, including Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, Attorney General Henry McMaster and the rally's organizer, the Rev. Arnold Hiette, who unfortunately made our plaintiffs the targets of his hateful sermon.</p>
<p>According to a report by Spartanburg's <a href="http://www.goupstate.com/article/20090107/ARTICLES/901071070/1083/NEWS?Title=SC_officials_join_church_rally_for__I_Believe__tags"><em>Herald-Journal</em></a>, "Red-faced and angry, shaking his fist alongside his Bible, Hiette told the congregation that the four complainants -- especially the Unitarian -- and one judge who took away the people's right to witness via their vehicle tags 'along with the ACLU, they're going to burn in hell.'"</p>
<p>It's sad that it has come to this. All that our plaintiffs want is to uphold the Constitution and ensure that religious minorities don't feel like second-class citizens in South Carolina. The Constitution does not allow the government to favor religion over non-religion, or prefer one religious belief over others. It is as simple as that.</p>
<p>But Bauer and McMaster deliberately misled the public on the facts of this case -- turning this into some sort of war against religion, specifically Christianity, when it clearly is not.</p>
<p>"There is free speech for every group in this state besides Christians," Bauer said last night. "Every citizen has the right to free speech in this country. I don't understand why witnessing in public is considered unconstitutional. You don't even have to be a Christian to believe everyone deserves the freedom of speech.</p>
<p>"When a secular group can get a license plate without anyone challenging them," he continued, "but we as Christians can't.... Enough is enough."</p>
<p>"Enough" is right. This is just propaganda. Bauer and McMaster know what the Constitution says, and they know this is not a matter of suppressing the free speech of Christians. This is about government favoring one religion, and that is exactly what the First Amendment prohibits.</p>
<p>This license plate was passed (unanimously) by the legislature. No other faith group was given the same opportunity, and it's quite certain that none will be. In fact, Bauer even said he would not support a Muslim plate, and State Sen. Yance McGill, who supported this "Christian" plate, indicated that he would not support a Wiccan tag.</p>
<p>"That's not what I consider to be a religion," McGill <a href="http://www.au.org/site/News2?abbr=cs_&amp;page=NewsArticle&amp;id=10210 ">told the Associated Press</a> back in May.</p>
<p>Yet those at the rally claim our plaintiffs are taking away free speech rights of Christians. What about all the non-Christians who have no chance for a similar plate because the legislature doesn't even consider their faith to be a religion? Did Bauer and McMaster forget that free speech isn't just for the majority?</p>
<p>Fortunately, our plaintiffs are not intimidated by criticism. As Rev. Summers put it in an <a href="http://www.religionnews.com/index.php?/rnspremiumtext/singlewnet/guest_commentary_no_license_plate_needed_to_say_i_believe1/">op-ed this week for the Religion News Service</a>, when questioned by critics, he responds, "How could a Christian minister not be against governmentally sponsored license plate?</p>
<p>"When lawmakers chose to single out one religious group on a state-sanctioned license plate to the exclusion of all others, it shows an unfair and unconstitutional preference," he continued. "What's more, this action trampled on a core value resting at the heart of Christianity: equality."</p>
<p>Concluded Summers, "If people want to proclaim their faith on their cars, there are a number of bumper stickers and emblems that can do the job. Just don't expect the government of South Carolina -- or any government, for that matter -- to help you spread the message. It's not the government's job, and none of us should want it to be."</p>
<p>That's a far better sermon than Rev. Hiette's diatribe. I hope he, Bauer and McMaster are paying attention.</p>
</div></div><div class="tags clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/i-believe-license-plate">&quot;I Believe&quot; license plate</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/andre-bauer">Andre Bauer</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/henry-mcmaster">Henry McMaster</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/courts">In the Courts</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/official-prayer-religious-displays-amp-ceremonial-religion-outside-schools">Official Prayer, Religious Displays &amp;amp; Ceremonial Religion (outside schools)</a></span>, <span class="field-item"><a href="/tags/south-carolina-license-plate">South Carolina license plate</a></span></div></div>Wed, 07 Jan 2009 21:46:16 +0000Sandhya Bathija2321 at https://www.au.orghttps://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/plate-hate-south-carolina-rally-consigns-separationist-clergy-to-hell#comments